EP3106074B1 - Metering device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a metering device for introducing a pourable cleaning agent into a treatment room of a program-controlled cleaning machine, in particular a dishwasher, with an exchangeable storage container, which serves for the storage of detergent, wherein the reservoir is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation and has a Reinigungsmittelauslass.

Program-controlled cleaning machines in general and dishwashers in particular are well known from the prior art, which is why a separate documentary proof at this point is not required.

Cleaning machines have a tub providing a treatment room. This is accessible on the user side via a feed opening, which is closed fluid-tight by means of a bottom door. In the intended use case, the treatment room serves to receive items to be cleaned.

In the case of cleaning, the washware taken up by the treatment room is charged with a rinsing liquid, the so-called rinsing liquor. In addition, to achieve an optimized cleaning result, process chemicals are used which are supplied to the treatment room during a cleaning process, typically by adding to the rinsing liquor. Such process chemicals are, for example, cleaning agents which are added to the treatment room of the cleaning machine in a program-controlled manner at a specific point in time of the program sequence.

Detergents in liquid and solid form are known from the prior art. In this case, solid detergent in bulk powder form or as so-called tabs, that is in tablet form. However, the practice has shown that can be achieved with pourable detergent in powder form, the comparatively best cleaning results.

When using a pourable detergent in powder form, a detergent dosing must be carried out by the user before each start of a cleaning program by the user. For this purpose, a cleaning machine typically has, on the inside of the door, a storage container which is to be equipped with a manually determined amount of cleaning agent. During a program run, this reservoir opens at a certain time of the wash program and the stockpiled detergent from the reservoir can be flushed out of the rinsing liquor located in the treatment room of the cleaning machine.

In order to be able to carry out a detergent supply for a plurality of individual program cycles, so that a manual cleaning dosage does not have to take place before the start of each program cycle, dispensers have been proposed, for example with the DE 10 2013 104 391 A1 relating to a generic dosing device.

The known dosing device has a replaceable storage container, which serves for the storage of detergent in an amount that is sufficient for a plurality of individual program cycles. The reservoir is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, wherein in the proper metering program controlled rotation of the reservoir is effected. For this purpose, a motor-driven drive device is provided, by means of which in the case of operation, a rotational movement of the reservoir is made.

For the purpose of dispensing detergent, the reservoir has a Reinigungsmittelauslass. Over this portion of detergent is dispensed in the operating case. In this case, such a detergent dispensing occurs as a result of a rotational movement of the reservoir. Per 360 ° revolution of the reservoir, an always equal portion amount of detergent is supplied to the detergent outlet and discharged from there into the treatment room of the cleaning machine.

From the DE 3835719 A1 a metering device for introducing a pourable cleaning agent from a reservoir into a treatment room of a program-controlled cleaning machine is known in which a desiccant-containing drying unit is provided in the reservoir, with the Detergent contained therein moisture is removed.

Dosing devices of the type described above have proven themselves in everyday practical use. There is still room for improvement, especially with regard to even greater reliability. It is therefore an object of the invention to further develop a metering device of the type mentioned in that, by design, even under adverse conditions, a proper cleaning agent removal is possible.

To solve the invention, a metering device with the features of claim 1 is proposed.

Proper detergent dosing is no longer guaranteed if it comes to a clumping of the detergent in the reservoir due to moisture. The structural design of the known metering device is contrary to such unwanted fluid entry. Nevertheless, it is desirable to provide further measures in the sense of additional security, which prevent a clumping of the cleaning agent as a result of moisture, even under extreme conditions, such as high humidity in the ambient air.

With the embodiment according to the invention, therefore, the use of a desiccant-containing drying unit is provided. This serves to dehumidify any ambient air flowing into the interior of the storage container via the detergent outlet, so that there is no moisture transfer to the detergent stored by the storage container.

The purpose of the drying unit provided according to the invention is not to extract moisture previously absorbed by the cleaning agent. Rather, it is intended to achieve dehumidification of the ambient air flowing into the storage container via the detergent outlet, so that there is no entry of moisture into the cleaning agent. Because an entry of moisture in the detergent leads to its clumping, which can not be resolved by a subsequent drying of the detergent again. The inventively provided drying unit therefore ensures a dehumidification of the air flowing into the reservoir so that it does not even or only diminished to an entry of moisture in the detergent comes.

In order to achieve effective dehumidification of ambient air flowing into the reservoir, it is provided according to the invention that the drying unit is held in a positionally secure manner by a receiving device. The drying unit is therefore positioned securely in position by means of the receiving device. In this case, the receiving device is arranged in the mouth region of the detergent outlet, so that a dehumidification of ambient air flowing into the reservoir is ensured.

"Mouth region" in the sense of the invention means an arrangement of the receiving device such that the drying unit carried therefrom is positioned in relation to the cleaning agent outlet in such a way that ambient air flowing in through the cleaning agent outlet flows past an active surface of the drying unit. It is therefore desired as direct as possible loading of the drying unit by the ambient air flowing into the reservoir, so that in the case of air introduction an immediate dehumidification of the registered air is made. On the other hand, the receiving device for the drying unit is to be selected so that a desired detergent discharge can take place in the operating case in a proper manner and without hindrance.

According to a first alternative embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the receiving device for accommodating the drying unit is arranged in the volume space provided by the storage container. The drying unit is therefore positioned within the storage container. Such a configuration lends itself in particular to non-refillable storage containers, that is to say for disposable storage containers. These are disposed of after a proper use of the cleaning agent, so that an exchange of the drying unit is not required. In that regard, it is permitted to arrange the receiving device for the drying unit on the user side inaccessible within the storage container. As a result, the drying unit is advantageously taken captive from the reservoir.

According to a second alternative embodiment of the invention, it is provided to arrange the receiving device for accommodating the drying unit on the outside of the storage container on the reservoir. According to this embodiment, the Drying unit accessible on the user side, which allows an exchange. In that regard, this alternative embodiment is particularly suitable for reusable storage containers, that is such storage containers that can be replenished with detergent on the user side. Since the drying unit is positioned on the outside of the storage container accessible to the user, after a refilling of the storage container with detergent, if necessary, an exchange of a possibly consumed drying unit by a new drying unit.

With the construction provided according to the invention, a metering device is proposed as a whole, which offers an even greater safety against unwanted clumping of detergent due to the ingress of moisture. The drying unit provided for this purpose is held in a positionally secure manner by means of a receiving device in the mouth region of the detergent outlet, whereby the most direct possible admission to the reservoir via the Reinigungsmittelauslassöffnung ambient air is ensured with the advantage that a dehumidification of the ambient air takes place before this in an unintentional manner in the cleaning agent is registered. Clumping of the cleaning agent due to unwanted ingress of moisture is thus reliably counteracted. Even under extreme conditions, such as the high humidity in southern countries, a dishwasher equipped with a dispenser according to the invention can be operated in accordance with regulations and this even after a long period of non-use, as this may occur, for example, in the event of vacation.

The drying unit is preferably a bag filled with desiccant. The bag skin is air-permeable, preferably perforated, so that air flowing past the drying unit can be dehumidified by transferring the moisture carried thereby into the drying agent of the drying unit. The desiccant may be, for example, zeolite, silica gel, bentonite and / or the like.

The receiving device for the drying unit may be formed, for example, as an at least partially open housing. In the intended use case, the housing takes on the drying unit and houses them. A position and position-safe arrangement of the drying unit in the interior of the reservoir is so ensured.

The housing may have a base body, which is designed in the manner of a shell. This basic body accommodates the drying unit in the intended use, wherein the main body prevents direct contact between the drying unit on the one hand and detergent on the other hand, so that insofar as a cleaning agent-tight recording of the drying unit is given by the housing.

On the opening side of the base body is closed by means of a passage openings having cover. In this case, the passage openings in the cover allow entry of moisture from the ambient air into the desiccant provided by the drying unit.

For the transfer of detergent from the reservoir into the treatment room provided by the cleaning machine serves a dosing. This is preferably not least formed before the protection of unwanted moisture entry labyrinth-shaped. In the sense of the invention, however, "labyrinth-shaped" means in particular such an embodiment of the metering channel, according to which the metering channel provides two fluidically interconnected partial volumes. For this purpose, the dosing is equipped with a barrier which delimits the partial volumes, in such a way that during a rotation of the reservoir initially a filling of the first sub-volume with a predetermined by the size of the sub-volume amount of cleaning agent and that in another Rotary movement of the reservoir, the metered into the first sub-volume amount of detergent past the barrier in the second sub-volume defining another part of the metering, without further detergent flows into the metering. The labyrinthine configuration of the metering channel thus ensures that due to the geometric configuration of the metering an ever equal amount of detergent per 360 ° revolution of the reservoir is removed from the reservoir and ready for delivery to the treatment room of the cleaning machine. In this case, the geometric design of the metering channel ensures that, after the detergent dosage has been carried out, any subsequent introduction of cleaning agent during the metering process initiated by the twisting movement of the storage container no longer takes place. Only at the beginning of a subsequent dosing, that is, only at a renewed rotational movement of the reservoir further stored by the reservoir detergent may be discharged into the dosing. According to a first embodiment of this metering channel may be formed as part of the reservoir. According to an alternative embodiment, however, the dosing channel can also be formed outside the storage container and be provided, for example, by a rotary body receiving the storage container in the intended use case.

If the dosing channel is provided on the part of the storage container, this accommodates the receiving device according to a feature of the invention at least partially. On the one hand, this achieves a space-saving arrangement, on the other hand, this structural design ensures that ambient air flowing in through the cleaning agent outlet is led past the receiving device and thus directly to the drying unit carried therefrom.

If the metering channel is formed outside the storage container, the drying unit according to the above first alternative can be positioned outside the storage container within the storage container or according to the above second alternative. In a positioning outside of the reservoir, it is preferable to equip the dosing with vents on which the drying unit rests on the outside. The drying unit is therefore clamped between the rotating body side dosing on the one hand and reservoir on the other. On the one hand, this construction makes it possible for the externally permitted accessibility of the drying unit to be exchanged by the user, but on the other hand it ensures that ambient air flowing through the dosing duct is passed past the drying unit for dehumidification, so that ambient air flowing into the storage tank via the cleaning agent outlet is prevented from entering the reservoir is already dehumidified.

It is particularly preferred, however, that the housing cover is formed as part of the dosing channel defining channel wall. In this case, the receiving device is designed as an extension of the metering, wherein the cover of the receiving device equally also serves as Dosierkanalwand.

The invention not only proposes a dosing device of the type described above, but also a storage container which can be used in conjunction with a metering device according to the invention. Such a storage container is characterized by a desiccant-comprising drying unit, which is held in a positionally secure manner by a receiving device, wherein the receiving device is arranged in the mouth region of a cleaning agent outlet. Such a reservoir provides the advantages already explained above with reference to the metering device according to the invention.

Fig. 1

in schematischer Seitenansicht eine Geschirrspülmaschine;

Fig. 2

in schematischer Darstellung die Innenseite einer mit einem erfindungsgemäßen Dosiergerät ausgerüsteten Spülraumtür einer Geschirrspülmaschine nach Figur 1 gemäß Blickrichtung II nach Figur 1;

Fig. 3

die Darstellung nach Figur 2 mit geöffnetem Dosiergerät;

Fig. 4

die Darstellung nach Figur 2 mit einem vom Dosiergerät aufgenommenen Vorratsbehälter;

Fig. 5

in schematisch perspektivischer Ansicht einen Vorratsbehälter;

Fig. 6

in schematisch perspektivischer Ansicht den Vorratsbehälter nach Figur 5 samt davon aufgenommener Trocknungseinheit;

Fig. 7

in schematischer Draufsicht einen Vorratsbehälter gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

Fig. 8

in schematischer Draufsicht einen Vorratsbehälter gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform;

Fig. 9

den Vorratsbehälter nach Figur 3 in einer Verdrehstellung;

Fig. 10

den Vorratsbehälter nach Figur 3 in einer zweiten Verdrehstellung;

Fig. 11

den Vorratsbehälter nach Figur 3 in einer dritten Verdrehstellung;

Fig. 12

in schematischer Draufsicht von oben ein Vorratsbehälter gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

Fig. 13

in schematischer Ansicht von unten der Vorratsbehälter nach Fig. 12;

Fig. 14

in schematischer Draufsicht ein Dosiergerät gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform und

Fig. 15

in schematischer Draufsicht das Dosiergerät nach Fig. 14 mit einem Vorratsbehälter nach Fig. 12.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to FIGS. Show

Fig. 1

a schematic side view of a dishwasher;

Fig. 2

in a schematic representation of the inside of an equipped with a metering device according to the invention Spülraumtür after a dishwasher FIG. 1 according to viewing direction II FIG. 1 ;

Fig. 3

the representation after FIG. 2 with opened dosing device;

Fig. 4

the representation after FIG. 2 with a storage container received by the dosing device;

Fig. 5

in a schematic perspective view of a reservoir;

Fig. 6

in a schematic perspective view of the reservoir after FIG. 5 including drying unit incorporated therewith;

Fig. 7

in a schematic plan view of a reservoir according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 8

in a schematic plan view of a reservoir according to a third embodiment;

Fig. 9

the reservoir after FIG. 3 in a rotational position;

Fig. 10

the reservoir after FIG. 3 in a second rotational position;

Fig. 11

the reservoir after FIG. 3 in a third rotational position;

Fig. 12

in a schematic plan view from above a reservoir according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 13

in a schematic view from below of the reservoir after Fig. 12 ;

Fig. 14

in a schematic plan view of a metering device according to a second embodiment and

Fig. 15

in a schematic plan view of the dosing device Fig. 14 with a reservoir after Fig. 12 ,

FIG. 1 can be seen in a purely schematic representation of a cleaning machine in the embodiment of a dishwasher 1.

The dishwasher 1 has, in a manner known per se, a housing 2 which accommodates a washing container 3. The rinsing container 3 in turn provides a treatment room - also called the rinsing room 4 - ready for receiving dishes to be cleaned. For loading the washing compartment 4 with items to be cleaned has the rinse tank 3 via a feed opening 5. This is closed in a fluid-tight manner by means of a Spülraumtür 6, wherein the Spülraumtür 6 is mounted drehverschwenkbar about a horizontal pivot axis.

When used as intended, the dishes to be cleaned are treated with rinsing liquor, for which purpose the dishwasher 1 has a spraying device 7. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the spray device 7 includes an upper spray arm 8 and a lower spray arm 9.

FIG. 2 allows the Spülraumtür 6 recognize in a plan view, namely the interior view according to viewing direction II FIG. 1 ,

As FIG. 2 can be seen, has the Spülraumtür 6 inside on a from the State of the art per se known combination device 25, on the one hand has a Klarspülmittelbevorratung 26 and on the other hand via a reservoir 27, the user side is manually filled with cleaning agent per cleaning cycle.

The dishwasher 1 has in addition to the known from the prior art combination device 25 via a metering device 11, which is also arranged on the inside 10 of the Spülraumtür 6. In geschossenener Spülraumtür 6, the lid 12 of the metering device 11 is in the closed position, as in FIG. 2 is shown.

As will be described in more detail below, the metering device 11 has a reservoir 18 which accommodates pourable cleaning agent. In the intended use case, cleaning agent passes from the reservoir 18 into the treatment chamber 4 of the dishwasher 1, for which purpose a metering outlet 13 is provided on the inner side 10 of the Spülraumtür 6. This Dosierauslass 13 is equipped with a cover or a pivotally mounted cover 14.

FIG. 3 lets the inside 10 of the Spülraumtür 6 with pivoted, that is open lid 12 recognize. As can be seen from this illustration, the metering device 11 has a pivotable about an axis of rotation 17 rotary body 16 which defines a receiving space 15.

In the receiving space 15 provided by the rotary body 16, a reservoir 18 can be interchangeably arranged on the user side. This leaves the presentation FIG. 4 recognize, which shows a storage container 18 inserted into the receiving space 15 of the rotary body 16.

The storage container 18 has a container body 19 and a lid 20 closing the container body 19. The extent provided by the reservoir 18 volume space 21 is the harboring of detergent 34. The FIGS. 5 and 6 let each in a schematic perspective view of a first possible embodiment of a container body 19 recognize.

The container body 19 provides a detergent outlet 22. This Reinigungsmittelauslass 22 has a closure plate with first passage openings and a disc 23 with second passage openings. In this case, the disc 23 is arranged rotatable relative to the closure plate at this. The disk 23 serves insofar as a closure unit for the Reinigungsmittelauslass 22 and can be transferred from a closed position to an open position and vice versa.

The container body 19 provides a receptacle 28. This has in the embodiment shown on each adjacent juxtaposed spring webs 29. In the intended use, these take a spring-clamping a drying unit 24.

This drying unit 24 is a bag equipped with desiccant.

The receiving device 28 serves for the positionally safe arrangement of the drying unit 24 in the reservoir 18. Even with a proper rotation of the reservoir 18, the drying unit 24 remains in its position defined by the receiving device 28.

The receiving device 28 is arranged in the mouth region of the detergent outlet 22. This requires that outside air flowing in via the cleaning agent outlet 22 into the storage container 18 is led past the drying unit 24 directly, so that dehumidification of the incoming ambient air can take place. The arrangement of the receiving device in the mouth region of the Reinigungsmittelauslasses 22 also causes the positive effect that at least when the Spülraumtür 6 in the closed position contact between detergent 34 and drying unit 24 is not present. Thus, the detergent drops in the closed position of the Spülraumtür 6 by gravity with respect to the plane of the drawing FIG. 4 down and thus accumulates in the lower region of the provided from the reservoir 18 volume space 21.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the reservoir 18 after the FIGS. 5 and 6 , As the representation after Figur7 can be seen, the receiving device 28 is arranged for the drying unit 24 the detergent outlet 22 in the inflow direction directly opposite. Inflowing ambient air thus hits the drying unit 24 and is after this with respect to the drawing level after FIG. 7 both left and right around this led around. This ensures an optimized contacting of ambient air flowing into the reservoir 18 with the drying unit 24.

According to the embodiment according to FIG. 7 the receiving device 28 has a housing 30 which has a shell-like base body 31. This is formed detergent-dense, whereby a contact of the drying unit 24 is substantially suppressed with detergent 34 even when the dishwasher door 6 is open.

Opposite the main body 31, that is, on the open side of the housing 30, a grid 32 equipped with passage openings 33 is provided as a cover. A contacting of ambient air flowing into the reservoir 18 with the drying unit 24 takes place through the passage openings 33.

The embodiments according to the FIGS. 5 to 7 show a reservoir 18, which does not have its own metering channel 35. This is rather formed in the rotary body 16, not shown, which receives the reservoir 18 interchangeable.

FIG. 8 now shows an embodiment of the reservoir 18, according to which a metering channel 35 is provided by the container body 19 of the reservoir 18. This metering channel 35 is designed as a labyrinth guide channel, which allows a portion-wise release of detergent in a conventional manner. As FIG. 8 however, the dosing channel 35 opens into the detergent outlet 22.

In the illustrated embodiment according to FIG. 8 the receiving device 28 for the drying unit 24 is formed as an extension of the metering channel 35, wherein for delimitation from the metering channel 35 a provided with openings 33 grating cover 32 is provided.

The others FIGS. 9 to 11 show a proper dosing, wherein the reservoir 18 is rotated in the dosing in the direction of rotation 36.

Like a synopsis of FIGS. 8 to 11 lets recognize, the twisted Reservoir 18, starting from the initial situation FIG. 8 counterclockwise in direction of rotation 36. When reaching the in FIG. 9 shown position is conveyed through the labyrinth inlet of the metering 35 cleaning agent 34 in the metering 35. Due to the labyrinth-like design of the dosing channel input results in a predefined amount of detergent 34 in the metering channel 35, as the others Figures 10 and 11 reveal.

The labyrinth entrance of Dosierkanals 35 has a barrier 40. As is clear from the above-described synopsis of FIGS. 8 to 10 Furthermore, the barrier 34 limits the metering channel 35 in such a way that, when the rotational movement in the direction of rotation 36 is intended, the supply container 18 initially partially fills the metering channel 35, namely in a predefined amount, which results depending on the design of the barrier 40. This is especially true Fig. 11 it can be seen that, as of a certain angle of rotation of the storage container, the barrier 40 prevents a subsequent flow of cleaning agent into the metering channel 35. The extent of the detergent metered into the metering channel 35 by means of the barrier 40 is conveyed to the cleaning agent outlet 22 during a further rotation movement of the storage container 18, without any detergent flowing from the volume space 21 of the storage container 18 into the metering channel 35. With the help of this labyrinthine design, the amount of cleaning agent is determined in a constructive manner, which is discharged in portions during each 360 ° -Verdrehbewegung of the reservoir 18 and discharged through the detergent outlet 22.

The cleaning agent introduced into the metering channel 35 impinges on the inside of the outer wall of the metering channel and, following this wall, is conveyed to the cleaning agent outlet 22 in a further rotational movement in the direction of rotation 36. The receiving device 28 is formed opposite the outer wall, so that contact of the cleaning agent 34 with the drying unit 24 is prevented. Meanwhile, ambient air flowing in via the cleaning agent outlet 22 is passed directly past the drying unit 24, so that dehumidification thereof can take place.

The FIGS. 12 to 15 show an alternative embodiment of the invention.

The aforesaid embodiment shows a storage container 18 accommodating the drying unit 24 according to the invention, that is to say a receiving device 28, which is formed in the volume space 21 provided by the reservoir 18. In contrast, the embodiment according to the FIGS. 12 to 15 a construction according to which the receiving device 28 is arranged on the outside of the storage container 18 on the reservoir 18. This construction is particularly suitable for such reservoir 18, which serve as a reusable reservoir and are refillable. However, the embodiment described first is particularly suitable for such storage containers 18, which serve as a disposable storage container 18 and can not be refilled by the user.

As the FIGS. 12 and 13 can recognize the reservoir 18 carries in the mouth region of the cleaning outlet 22 held by the receiving device 28 drying unit 24. In this case, the receiving device 28 on the outside of the container wall of the container body 19 of the reservoir 18 is arranged.

The Fig. 14 and 15 let the dosing device 11 recognize. As can also be seen in these figures, the metering device 11 has a rotary body 16 which, in the intended use case, serves to receive the storage container 18, as shown in particular in FIG Fig. 15 can be seen, showing a metering device 11 with recorded reservoir 18. According to the embodiment shown here, the rotary body 16 provides the metering channel 35. When the reservoir 18 is inserted, the metering channel 35 connects the reservoir-side cleaning agent outlet 22 and the metering opening 37 provided by the metering channel 35. The reservoir-side wall 38 of the metering channel 35 is equipped with openings 39 in sections. When the storage container 18 is inserted, the drying unit 24 provided on the outside by the storage container 18 lies in the covering area with the openings 39 against the wall 38 of the metering channel 35. Ambient air flowing into the dosing channel via the metering opening 37 is guided past the drying unit 24, wherein dehumidification of the ambient air that has entered can take place through the openings 39 through the desiccant provided by the drying unit 24.

In the embodiment shown, the metering channel 35 has two partial volumes, which are delimited from each other by means of a barrier 40, but are nevertheless connected to each other in terms of flow. In this case, the partial volume of the metering channel 35 directly adjoining the detergent outlet 22 determines the quantity to detergent, which is delivered per portion, that is each 360 ° rotation of the reservoir. Thus, during a twisting movement of the storage container, first the partial volume of the dosing channel 35 immediately adjoining the detergent outlet 22 fills. As a result of a further twisting movement, the detergent portioned in this way is conveyed past the barrier 40 into the further partial volume provided by the dosing channel 35, namely in the direction In the case of the inflow of detergent into the further volume range of the metering channel 35, the storage container assumes such a position that no more of cleaning agent is dispensed from the storage container via the cleaning outlet 22 into the metering channel 35. In this respect, a subsequent flow of detergent from the reservoir at the moment of dispensing detergent through the metering opening 37 is prevented.

reference numeral

1

dishwasher

2

casing

3

rinse tank

4

Wash cabinet

5

loading port

6

rinsing chamber

7

spraying

8th

upper spray arm

9

lower spray arm

10

inside

11

dosing

12

cover

13

metering outlet

14

cover

15

accommodation space

16

rotating body

17

axis of rotation

18

reservoir

19

container body

20

cover

21

volume space

22

Reinigungsmittelauslass

23

disc

24

drying unit

25

combination device

26

Rinse aid storage

27

reservoir

28

recording device

29

web

30

casing

31

body

32

grid

33

Through opening

34

cleaning supplies

35

metering

36

direction of rotation

37

metering

38

wall

39

opening

40

barrier

Claims (10)

1. Metering device for introducing a bulk cleaning agent (34) into a processing chamber (4) of a program-controlled cleaning machine, in particular a dishwasher (1), comprising a replaceable storage container (18) which is used to store cleaning agent (34), the storage container (18) being mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotary shaft (17) and comprising a cleaning agent outlet (22), characterised by a drying unit (24) that comprises a drying agent and is held securely in position by a receptacle (28), the receptacle (28) being arranged in the mouth region of the cleaning agent outlet (22) such that ambient air flowing in through the cleaning agent outlet (22) sweeps past an active surface of the drying unit (24).
2. Metering device according to claim 1, characterised in that the drying unit (24) is a pouch filled with drying agent, the skin of which pouch is permeable to air at least in part, preferably perforated.
3. Metering device according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the drying agent is zeolite, silica gel, bentonite and/or the like.
4. Metering device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the receptacle (28) is arranged in the volumetric space (21) provided by the storage container (27).
5. Metering device according to any of the preceding claims, claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the receptacle (28) is arranged outside the storage container (27) on the storage container (27).
6. Metering device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the receptacle (28) is a housing (30) that is open at least in part.
7. Metering device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing (30) comprises a base body (31) that is impermeable to cleaning agent and formed in the manner of a shell, which base body is sealed on the open side by means of a cover (32) comprising passage openings (33).
8. Metering device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the storage container (18) comprises a metering channel (35) that leads into the cleaning agent outlet (2) and houses the receptacle (28) at least in part.
9. Metering device according to either claim 7 or claim 8, characterised in that the housing cover (32) is formed as part of the channel wall that forms the metering channel (35).
10. Storage container for a metering device (11) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised by a drying unit (24) that comprises a drying agent and is held securely in position by a receptacle (28), the receptacle (28) being arranged in the mouth region of a cleaning agent outlet (22) on the container side.

Images